Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Diet
Scientists have proven that the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet can lower blood pressure. This diet is the result of a study by the DASH which indicated that this diet showed marked improvement in lowering blood pressure when compared with the typical American diet. The DASH diet has very little saturated fat, total fat as well as cholesterol, but lots of potassium, calcium as well as magnesium, fiber and protein. Lots of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains are part of the diet. It also uses fat-free and/or low-fat milk as well as dairy products, meat with the fat removed, fish, poultry and nuts. It does not use as much red meat or sugar as the usual American diet.
What is the DASH Diet? -Video Guide
Put into various food groups, a DASH meal plan with 2,000 calories would consist of what is given below:
- A maximum two servings each day of meat with the fat sliced off, poultry as well as fish; each serving comprises three ounces of cooked lean meat.
- 2 to 3 servings each day of fat-free or reduced fat milk as well as milk products; each serving comprises a cup of milk, maybe yogurt or one and a half ounces of cheese.
- 4 to 5 servings each day of fruit; each serving comprises a quarter cup of dried fruit, a medium sized fruit, a three quarter cup of fruit juice, or half a cup of cut fruit which can be fresh, frozen or those from a can.
- 4 to 5 servings each day with vegetables; each serving comprises half a cup of cut or cooked vegetables, three-quarters of a cup of vegetable juice or a cup of uncooked, leafy vegetables.
- 7 to 8 servings each day with grains; each serving comprises a slice of bread, half a cup of cooked grain, cereal or pasta, or an ounce of dry cereal.
- A maximum or five servings of sweets as well as sugar put into food or drinks each week; each serving comprises a cup of lemonade, half a cup of sorbet which can be replaced with gelatin or a tablespoon of either jam or jelly.
- 2 to 3 servings each day of fats as well as oils; each serving comprises a teaspoon of vegetable oil, a tablespoon of reduced-fat mayonnaise which can be replaced with two tablespoons of light salad dressing.
- 4 to 5 servings each day of nuts, seeds as well as legumes; each serving comprises half a cup of cooked beans, a one third cup of nuts, or two tablespoons of peanut butter.
In a 2004 publication of the Diabetes Care journal was a study which found that insulin sensitivity can be improved almost 50 percent with the DASH diet, indicating that it can possibly be used to have better blood sugar control.